Imec is the world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies. Here, you’ll find the expertise of more than 5,500 scientists and researchers in these domains.

Imec collaborates with numerous acclaimed universities and companies from around the world. But it also strives to give startups and entrepreneurs a head start on their road to market. Find out more about imec.

The imec.istart program fully supports you for 12 months. Are you a deep tech startup? Then the period is extended to 18 months. That gives you the opportunity to acquire the needed specific certifications.

However, your graduation from the program does not necessarily mean the end of all support from imec.istart. As long as we’re a shareholder, we’ll continue to help you with access to funding, talent, networking and other services.

There are many successful graduates from the imec.istart program, and their numbers grow every year. A few notable examples are Deliverect, Ontoforce, Twikit, Waylay, UgenTec and Lightspeed (formerly POSiOS).

Browse through the complete portfolio

Young and ambitious tech-based startups like yours can choose from a wide range of accelerator programs. But imec.istart is different. Because imec.istart:

• is backed by imec, one of the world’s leading research institutes on new digital and nanotechnologies. That gives you unique access to the knowhow of no less than 5500 researchers.
• has a unique network of investors and over forty industry partners such as ING, BNP Paribas Fortis, Cronos, UCB and Pfizer.
• is consistently ranked among the best programs in Europe and even the world. In 2023, UBI Global ranked us as the number one university-business accelerator worldwide.
• provides a longer period of support: 12 to 18 months instead of the 3 to 6 months that most programs offer. In other words: you’re supported for at least one full sales cycle – ample time to build solid fundamentals for your startup.
• accurately measures your progress. Our Innovatrix tool monitors your achievements and benchmarks them against those of your peers. This provides us and you with additional insights.
• has supported over 350+ startups, a large portion of which consists of high-growth scale-ups with an above-average survival rate. That vast experience ensures support practices with proven efficiency and a wide network of entrepreneurs to learn from.

We have corporate partners with expertise - like health, cleantech, logistics, fintech, hardware,... That are definitely eager to get to know you. Discover all of our partners on our partner page.

Absolutely. Fundraising support is a core part of our program.

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On fundraising, we help you with:

• Funding strategy
• Storytelling & pitch refinement
• Investor readiness & data room
• Warm introductions
• Pitch opportunities at our biannual Investors Day (100+ active investors)

On average, every €1 we invest leads to €35 in follow-on funding for our startups.

Yes, we always give constructive criticism to help you strengthen your project. Even if you’re not selected for the program.

Enhance your selection chances by coming up with:

A product that:

• is highly technically or technologically innovative
• responds to a clear customer need
• is backed by the outline of a business model
• has at least one clear and strong differentiator
• is ready to compete in a defined and sufficiently large market

A core team that:

• is committed and willing to bear the entrepreneurial risk
• is capable of pushing technological boundaries
• embraces external coaching
• is ready to go global
• can show a finished proof of concept of the technology, including a sketch of the required actions regarding freedom to operate (FPO) and intellectual property rights (IPR)
• envisions the possibility of a break-even within two to three years
• aims at a sales figure of at least 1 million euro within three years and 10 million euro in the long term

Those last two points address the financial viability of your startup. So, you might think that they’re more important than the others. Actually, the opposite is true. If two proposals are equally strong, imec.istart will choose the one that excels in technological innovation and business orientation and has a clear ambition for societal impact.

Attach the following documents to your online application:

• executive summary of your project
• business pitch (slide deck)
• short demo movie of your working prototype

Yes, you can apply twice with the same project or product.

Yes, you can. But once you’re selected, make sure you’re incorporated before the program starts. After all, we need a company to invest in.

Yes, as long as:

• the intellectual property (IP) belongs entirely to your spin-off. We understand that the IP agreement with imec or the university may not yet be fully finalized; however, we can only proceed with an investment once the company is established and IP negotiations are complete. While we do not actively participate in the IP negotiation process, we can provide guidance based on the experiences of similar spin-offs in our portfolio (approximately one in six). You may apply before the IP agreement is signed, but we will wait to execute the investment and begin the program until a signed agreement is in place.
• the spin-off team is fully committed to making your project a success.

No, the amount of applications we receive at each open call is just too massive. However, don’t hesitate to send in your specific questions at any time through our contact page.

Typically three weeks after the submission deadline, you know whether you’re selected for the program. And our support starts as soon as you’ve signed your contract.

Yes, but that might prove too big a challenge for you, depending on the intensity of the other accelerator program. Because we expect you to dedicate sufficient time to the imec.istart program – including attendance at all sessions and events.

Yes, but we don’t recommend it. In our experience, startups who only work part time are less likely to succeed. So it improves your chances at selection and long-term success if you fully commit.

We realize that starting up a business is already intense and challenging. The program doesn’t require your full-time presence. And we never fill up entire work weeks with workshop and events. All activities are spread over the entire duration of the program, giving you ample time to absorb the insights and putting them to good use.

Yes, just ask us who you would like to meet, and we’ll try to set up your introduction to national or international corporate decision makers. And you always remain welcome at our regular barbecues, Founders Circles and other network events.

Yes. Once your project is in an advanced stage, we’re happy to support you in crossing the borders. We have access to people and facilities around the world. And our dedicated internationalization officer helps you to connect with local players, guides you to promising events and advises you on how to do business abroad. Eventually, she will help you to set up a local subsidiary.

Rest assured, we only show your application to the imec.istart selection jury, which signs a confidentiality agreement. Because we get a lot of applications, and for other practical reasons, we don’t draw up an NDA. Is this an issue for you? Please contact us and we’ll discuss it.

We do our best not to. But companies and the products they bring to market often evolve over time. So we can’t completely rule out that they move on each other’s turf.

In any case, we always ensure that:

• there is never an exchange of sensitive data
• competitive companies are coached by different venture acceleration managers

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Imec.istart Germany is designed for early-stage DeepTech startups with scalable technology, strong growth ambitions, and a commitment to build their company in Germany.  

• To qualify, startups should have a DeepTech product, a working prototype, at least two committed co-founders, and a German headquarters.  
• Foreign founders and existing companies are welcome to apply, provided the startup operates through a German HQ and meets the program's stage, technology, and growth criteria.  
• University spin-offs are also eligible when the intellectual property, team, and commercialization strategy are clearly defined.  
• While incorporation and a VAT number are not required at the application stage, a legal company structure and German incorporation become mandatory upon selection and before funding.  
• Applications from branches of other companies may be considered if the startup has a clear structure, ownership, and accountability.

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The public grant funding is provided by the State of Baden-Württemberg. As a result, funded startups are expected to establish and demonstrate meaningful commercial activities in Baden-Württemberg. Your company needs to be headquartered in Germany, but not necessarily in Baden-Württemberg to participate.

Customers, pilot projects, partnerships, employees, manufacturing activities, offices or other tangible business operations. R&D collaboration counts, if it represents a meaningful commercial or innovation activity in the region.

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Existing activities are preferred, but applicants can also present a credible plan to establish them. 

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Not necessarily, but customer activity in the region is a strong indicator of meaningful local impact. 

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Not necessarily, but local hiring can strengthen the case for regional impact. 

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No. The funding and acceleration services are structured as two complementary instruments and can be entered independently. While startups may participate in only one of these instruments, combining both allows them to benefit from funding to execute, expertise to grow, and a trusted long-term partner to support their journey.

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The German program combines two complementary instruments.

• €50k to €100k in non-dilutive, non-repayable grant to provide startups immediate financial support for project financing. This funding is made possible by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Skilled Crafts and Tourism and supports commercial activities that create a tangible connection to and impact within Baden-Württemberg.  
• Global accelerator services, providing a 12 to 18 months tailored all-in program based on the startup's needs, including personalized coaching, expert mentoring, access to talent, investors, industry partners, international markets and the global imec.istart and imec ecosystem.  

While each instrument can be entered independently, they are intentionally designed to work together to create a powerful platform for innovation-driven startups: funding to execute, expertise to grow, and a trusted long-term partner committed to success.
Eligible startups also benefit from office space support in Baden Württemberg.

Imec.istart Germany’s funding is made possible by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Skilled Crafts and Tourism and supports commercial activities that create a tangible connection to and impact within Baden-Württemberg.

Yes. The funding provided through imec.istart Germany is granted under the EU de minimis state aid framework. This means that the support counts towards the maximum amount of de minimis aid a company may receive over a rolling three-year period. As part of the application and contracting process, startups may be required to declare any de minimis aid previously received to ensure compliance with the applicable EU state aid rules.

The de minimis regulation (German: De-minimis-Regelung) is an EU state aid rule that allows public authorities to provide limited financial support to companies without requiring approval from the European Commission. Companies can receive up to €300k of de minimis aid over a rolling three-year period. If your startup has received other public grants or subsidies, these may count towards this limit and must be declared when applying for funding.

As the funding provided through the German program qualifies as de minimis state aid, startups must ensure that the total amount of de minimis aid they have received does not exceed the applicable EU limit (€300k) over a rolling three-year period. When applying, you are asked to disclose any previous public grants or subsidies received under the de minimis framework. This requirement helps ensure compliance with EU state aid rules and determines whether a startup is eligible to receive funding through the program.

Grant funding must be spent on eligible activities in Baden-Württemberg, that accelerate company growth, commercialization and technology development. 

It can be used for e.g.

• project financing,

• hiring, if the hiring supports execution of the proposed growth plan.  

• pilots, if pilot activities contribute directly to validation, commercialization or growth.

Yes. Combining public funding and private investment is common and encouraged. 

Technologies with significant R&D, technical complexity and defensible innovation. Deep tech is the core focus of imec.istart Germany.

Yes, but the company must be headquartered in Germany, and founders must engage with program activities. 

Pure idea-stage startups are too early for the program, a working proof of concept or prototype is required. But, don’t give up! Apply for a program that helps you to flesh out your ideas. Once your working proof of concept is ready, come back to us.

You’ll go through two selection phases:

1. Your entry is evaluated on paper by the imec.istart jury. Do they like your project? And does it fulfil all the requirements? Then you’re part of the pre-selection of startups that enter the second phase.
2. You’re invited to pitch your project in person. The imec.istart jury asks you to give a detailed presentation of your business proposal, team composition and motivation.

In both phases of the selection process, you’re competing with other startups. Our resources are limited: we sometimes have to turn down a promising project because other ones are simply even better. So, make sure to pull out all the stops for your application

Applications are open twice a year:

• 1 Feb – 28 Feb (closes 28 Feb, 23:59 CET)
• 1 Sept – 30 Sept (closes 30 Sept, 23:59 CET)

Yes, all of the program communications and workshops will be in English.

The startup journey can be tough, and our experience tells us that solo-founders have significantly lower chances of success. That's why imec.istart only accepts startups with at least 2 co-founders, of which at least 1 is willing to commit full-time upon acceptance into the program.

We usually accept between five and seven startups per cohort. But we refuse to tie ourselves to a fixed number. It’s a lot more important to select those startups that can really benefit from our program.

Yes. In addition to the accelerator funding, startups selected for the program may receive support to help establish their presence in Baden-Württemberg. This includes reimbursement of 75% of the costs (caped at €10K max.) for up to two workstations in a coworking space located in Baden-Württemberg, for a period of up to 12 consecutive months. The aim is to facilitate local business development, foster connections within the regional innovation ecosystem, and support startups in building meaningful commercial activities in the state.

Yes, by preparing you for and introducing you to our network of international investors: business angels, VC funds, corporates, banks, crowdfunding platforms, ...

On top of that, we put you in the spotlight for example during the Investors Days in Belgium that imec.istart organizes twice a year for an international investor audience. And obviously, we’ll try to get you on stage at other events that are swarming with investors.

Incidentally, we might invest up to an additional €50K ourselves during or after the program.

Yes, but incorporation becomes a mandatory and immediate requirement upon selection. 

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No, but a legal company structure must be in place before funding and onboarding. 

Yes. We prefer a simple, transparent structure with committed founders holding meaningful ownership of their company. 

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Your company retains ownership of its IP. 

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No, patents are beneficial but not a requirement. Pending patent applications are perfectly acceptable.

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Yes, provided their terms are transparent and compatible with future fundraising. 

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Existing investors are generally positive if the cap table remains founder-friendly and aligned. 

We want to understand the long-term value creation potential of the company.

Funding is provided through a Grant Agreement between the startup and imec Germany. The agreement governs all funding-related aspects of the bwACDA Program, including milestones, reporting requirements, and the housing program. The grant constitutes non-dilutive project financing linked to Baden-Württemberg, with a guaranteed baseline funding of €50K and the possibility to secure additional funding of up to €100,000. This funding is enabled by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Skilled Crafts and Tourism.

In addition to the Grant Agreement the startup gains access to a tailored 12-18 month acceleration program through a Coaching Agreement with imec Belgium. The agreement covers dedicated global services, coaching, expert mentorship, and privileged access to investors, corporate partners, talent, international markets, and the broader imec.istart network. Valued at €50K, the program is provided as an in-kind Convertible Loan Agreement (CLA), which converts at a 20% discount in the startup’s next qualified funding round.